I am new to the forum and just got my CSP3 with the beeswax caps. It sounds fantastic and improves the sound of my DAC (Oppo 105) and SS amp (using a mix of a Sunfire TGA5200 and a Bedini 250/250) with a pair of Shahinian Obelisks omnidirectional speakers. Does anyone has any advice for input tube rolling suggestions?

Where you go with tube rolling would most efficiently be based on what you would prefer compared to the stock tubes. If your CSP3 is lacking openness, clarity or micro detail in your system, that would be one thing. Or if it is overly clear in your system...that would lead you another way tube-wise.

If you like the warm, open, "big," and "tubey" quality of the Valve Art 274B rectifier, you will lose some dynamics and feel of power with a 5Y3GT. But if the system is overly dynamic, a good 5Y3 is perhaps a good direction.

The front tube is a very good place to play around too, a single tube being less of a risk, and since it is not an output tube, like the middle two, that position can work well with quite a variety of tubes. Mine is not like Lord Soth's where he can roll several different tube types into the middle/output position. For me, variations of 6N1Ps all work fine there, and most 6BQ7A, but that is it. In the input however, 6N1P, 6N23P, 6922, 6DJ8, 7DJ8, E188CC/7308, E288CC...they all work.

Hi Franchetti,The CSP3+ is one great pre amp. I just recently rolled some RT 12AT7 Nos Military tubes into my power amp that actually added a bit more base and with the stock 6n1p-ev tubes just made it a little bass heavy for my liking kinda boomy sounding. It would probably be great for a home theater setup but not how I use the system. I picked up a pair of Phillips 6922 Cryo tubes from Ron at Cryoset and installed them in the output side and left the stock 6n1p-ev in the input stage. Very nice combination! I retained the tubey sweet saturation of the 6n1p tubes but crispened up and added more focused detail to the overall sound with just a slight less amount of base it sounds just perfect now for my ears. I did purchase a Nos 6DJ8 tube Sovtek and have tried it with the 6n1p in the output stage but wasn't impressed with the sound seemed to flatten the sound out to much. I do have one disclaimer though that none of the tubes have been burned in no tubes over a couple of hours on them so it will be fun to see how they burn in and the sound changes they will go through.

Lon,I do have to agree with you on the 6n1p tubes at least in the input section being the best for sound for myself also. Putting the 6DJ8 in made me think it wasn't a lot better than having a SS setup maybe just to flat and clean. Don't know if I'll bother trying a different 6Dj8 may just get a set of cryo 6n1p' from Ron and call it good. The 6n1p make me feel that I have a tube rig and I guess that is what we all want at least that is what were purchasing into! Its all about good music sipping wine and having fun. My time is growing shorter every day.

D, if you do get them allow a week or so of use before they "bloom." After a lot of play they become a wonderful window into the music for me in my Toriis and CSP2+s.

Of course this is all system and tube set dependent, etc. Whenever I try a new tube set I put in recordings I made of bands I was in rehearsing and playing in the garage apartment I then lived in, and recordings I have listened to for decades as a base line for tonality and dynamics. I keep coming back to the 6N1P type. Others like the 6922, others the 7DJ8, etc.

Lon,I have a question for you since you are a very good source of information on the 6n1p tubes. What is the sound differences between the stock 6n1p tubes that are shipped with the unit and the cryo 6n1p tubes. You liking them so well has made me want to pick up a set from Ron he just received an order for them. I do have to say they sing in this pre amp.

Lon,One day I would love to pickup a Torri Mark something either 3 or 4 I'm sure I would love it. If it wasn't for just purchasing a Jolida 502P previous to learning about Decware I may of been able to. I found Decware searching for pre-amps for the Jolida wouldn't you know it. I could probably do it but I believe the wife would think I needed mental help or some thing doing it this soon. Need to keep her happy!

She could be right! I'm sure we all could use a little mental adjustment from time to time. I think Decware could do it.

I would say the fundamental difference is that they seem "faster." They have a very open midrange and are not raggedy at the top or sluggish at the bottom. The stock tubes are very good, these are just about 10 percent better or so in these aspects.

I think we all need some mental adjustment, which is what the audio products are for!

I know I need it. For the last few weeks my mother has been receiving nonsense messages round the clock that she has to tell my Dad and I in detail. (This has been happening since June, but now they are non-stop all day long. No medication has worked to stop them). She reads them off the wall and the garage across the street and once they were written on her feet. They are always asking me to do things like open up the door and leave it open as someone is coming across the street to come in right now. When I tell her I can't or won't do that, that these are imaginary things, etc. she gets very upset with me. It consumes her entire day and ours. My Dad is three days behind on the two papers he loves to read. We have an appointment with a geriatric psychiatrist in nine days and I'm just hoping we can make it. The few hours a day I get to spend in front of my system are GOLD. Precious, irreplaceable.